Lalmonirhat- Allegations of irregularities have been raised regarding the leasing of the toll collection of the Teesta road bridge on the Lalmonirhat-Rangpur highway. Two contractors participating in the tender complained.
It is known that under the supervision of Lalmonirhat Roads and Public Paths Department, tenders were called for the toll collection of Teesta Road Bridge on October 9. The rules for appointment of toll collection lessees are slightly different from inviting tenders and issuing work orders for contract work.
And that is, as long as there is competition between the contracting companies and as long as there is a possibility of increasing the revenue collection rate of the government, no one can be finalized for the lease, the authorities can call for re-tendering. According to that rule, the tender was called for the fourteenth time on October 9. This time a total of eleven contractors bid for the toll lease. But Mokchedur Rahman, the owner of Shapla Enterprise, could not submit the tender despite going to the Rangpur office because of the ‘miscreants’ and his company was the highest bidder of Tk 35 crore. However, among those who were able to submit, Nufa Enterprise’s bid was the highest at Tk 33 crore 53 lakh.
In that case, the tender should be called again as per the rules. But instead of doing so, it is alleged that Nufa Enterprises is being treated as the highest bidder and the lease is being awarded.
Moreover, last time i.e. in 2021, for the next three years, Regnum Builders-Penta Global joint company was given a lease for about 48 crore taka (48,54,54,654/=). From that point of view, if Nufa Enterprise is leased for about thirty-three and a half million taka, the government will get a revenue of about fifteen crore taka less than last time.
Daud Mia, owner of M/s Rana Construction, who participated in the tender, said, “I submitted a tender of Tk 33.5 million. But during the tender opening, the quotation form of another organization was changed to show Tk. 33.53 million, so that they could be leased.” .I have proof of that.”
Since he could not submit the tender again, Mokhchedur Rahman, the owner of Shapla Enterprise, made an application to the Superintending Engineer of Rangpur Circle of Roads and Public Paths to accept his tender. Mokhchedur Rahman mentioned in the petition, “The miscreants did not allow my representative to submit the tender in time at the Rangpur circle office. Therefore, let my tender be accepted.”
Mokhchedur Rahman’s representative Masud said, “Some young men stopped me and took my motorcycle keys and asked me to stay with them. Later, when the tender submission time was over, they released me.”
All of them demand that tenders should be called again with the aim of increasing the revenue collection of the government.
In this regard, Lalmonirhat road and public road department executive engineer Md. Abdul Momen said, ‘Our goal is to increase the revenue collection of the government. I have spoken to the senior officials about the matter, according to the decision they give, action will be taken later.
Abdur Rahim, Supervising Engineer of Rangpur Circle of Roads and Township Department, said that whether the tender will be re-invited is completely under the executive engineer, I will not comment on this.
